Triumph Repair: Spitfire 1500 1977, bentley manuals, haynes manual

Question
Hi Jim,
i am in the process in restoring my 1977 spitfire. my question is: is there anything especial about the 1977 spitfire because i don't see too may cars around. can I use parts from other years to fit my car. It's there a web or magazine that i can purchase to help me with the restoration process. (engine pictures, wiring)
Thank you for your help

Answer
George,

Well, how many other 30 year old cars do you see around these days?  ;)

The Triumph Spitfire was produced from 1962 through 1980 (some cars may have been titled as 1981s depending upon local licensing laws) and many of the components can be swapped between model years, if you do your homework first.

There are several good sources of information.

First off, get a good repair manual.  I personally prefer the Robert Bentley manuals, they are typically a reprint or enhancement to the factory manual and include a copy of the owners handbook that most people have never seen, given the age of the cars.  The Bentley manuals focus on specific model years, you'd want the late 1500 (1976-1980) version for your car.

There is a Haynes Manual for the Spitfire that does give some good information.  The drawback is that it tries to cover the entire 18 year production history in one manual so it can be vague or incorrect on things that changed over the years.  

There are several good resources on the web also.  One good site to stop at is the home page for the Vintage Triumph Register ( www.VTR.org ).  For a new owner the best resource is to look for a local chapter (club)... seeing other cars in person is the best way to figure things out and get questions answered.

Another great online resource for Spitfires is the North American Spitfire Squadron (NASS).  The website is www.nasshq.org and there are tech articles, links to an email list devoted to the Spitfires and information on joining the club and meeting fellow NASS'ers at meets around the country.

Cheers,


Jim